The Coronavirus, aka COVID-19, is undoubtedly the worst virus that most of us have seen in our lifetimes. Some idiots think it is a hoax and are increasing the danger for everyone else. Here are some simple facts.
Here is an excellent article on How Social Distancing flattens the curve of COVID-19
See real-time updates on the spread of the virus at: Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU).
Here are four websites that provide doctors on demand. This way you can visit a doctor using only your phone or web browser. No need to go out in public and wait in rooms with other coughing patients!
I haven’t tried any of these yet and my insurance provider said they probably are not covered by insurance. It is still well worth it to avoid going out in public. Some of these offer 24/7 service.
While being under quarantine it is very important not to go stir crazy. Do not let despair and fear turn your life into living hell. There are things you can do to stave off cabin fever.
You know you have been putting off reading that one good book for years… well now is the time! Download it to your Kindle or have Amazon deliver it to you.
If you live somewhere cold, make a nice fire and read by the fireplace. If you live somewhere warm and sunny… now is a great time to set up a lawn chair in the backyard and read while getting some sunshine.
Just because you should avoid crowds does not mean you have to be miserable. Play cards or a board game with your family. Or work on a puzzle.
Remember all the times people told you to stop being anti-social because you were playing online computer games non-stop? Well now is the time to tell them you are being socially responsible by playing online computer games non-stop!
Do you have a backyard? Go play catch, make a garden, or throw your dog a stick.
Do you have cats? Time to make some home-made cat toys and drive them crazy.
Or you could binge-watch shows on Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Gaia, Acorn, HBO, Showtime, Disney Plus, or some other program. Binge! It’s totally fine to order new subscriptions, watch for a couple months and then cancel. Most of these services are only $6 to $8 per month and can provide hundreds of hours of entertainment value.
Have you ever played Dungeons and Dragons? There is a great way to play online. You can see other players with video and audio options. All of it is free at Roll20.net. That website is built for people to play games together remotely and they have more than just D&D.
Don’t despair. Just avoid people for a few weeks so this time of trouble can pass. There is plenty to do which is fun and has been on your to-do or “I want to do” list for a long time. Now is the time to spend some me-time and read that book, learn yoga from YouTube, plant that garden, do that backyard project you have been avoiding.
We have a long way to go before we are safe from the pandemic. The best thing you can do is avoid other people, aka self quarantine in your home.
However there are 15 news stories around the globe about good progress against the pandemic.
Coronavirus: 15 Good news stories from around the globe, show things do get better!
Don’t give up hope! Also do not get foolishly optimistic and go outside! Just stay safe and secluded until vaccines are made and cures are manufactured.
Many banks in Panama are allowing people to skip payments on credit cards, personal loans, home loans, and car loans. Hey, USA and other countries... can you be as forward-thinking as Panama?!?
Note: when banks offer this you often must fill out a form requesting it. Do not just skip your payment. Look online for your bank to see if they are offering similar programs.
We are having a country-wide crisis. Now corporations and utility companies should be acting fast - not waiting for government intervention. Leniency on payments for a few months. Discounts or free for core services that everyone needs. Discounts for entertainment services that will help the masses avoid cabin-fever.
Anything that can help, now is the time to prove your corporation cares about the people who have been supporting them all this time. Hey Apple, how about steep discounts for iPads that go to senior centers or hospitals so those in quarantine can FaceTime with their loved ones? Things like that. Let's all pull together and try to make this bad situation a little less horrible.
I feel sick. Not sick from having the virus, but sick about the state of the world right now. Sick with tension and sadness.
Everyone needs to self-quarantine. To do otherwise is jeopardizing not only everyone you come near, but everyone who touches something you touched, and everyone they come near or touch something they touch. Go out in public when you are infected and assume you just killed 100 people.
The worst part is you will not know you are infected until after you have had the virus for 5.1 days. You think you are not infected so you go out and have a good time. Over the next 30 days probably 100 people die because of you. Think about that. Yes, some get sick then get better… but while they were sick they infected hundreds also.